April 1704 (7)
= La Gloire du Roi - April 1704 = Weather this month *Calm in the Baltic. *Storms in the far south, Eastern Europe, and West Indies. Events Of Importte Pertaining To Recent Matters Cologne *Archbishop Prince Joseph Clemens von Wittelsbach of Liege-Cologne has publicly revealed, for some reason or other, that the Church Tax to be paid on behalf of Liege- Cologne to the Papacy at a rate of 5% amounts to 2,500,000 gulden a year. Belozersk *The 6th Russian Army (Army of the Baltic) has paraded in Belozersk and as a body of men was blessed by local priests. Vienna *The Spanish royal envoy Don Sebastian de Cordova in Vienna, along with Spanish Netherlands ambassadors in Bavaria, Pfalz, Hanover, and Prussia (who have repeated the same) has put forward proposals to end the War of the Saxon Devolution. The terms are drafted as follows: THE TREATY OF DRESDEN APRIL 1704 Between the states of the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Russia and Saxony. i. The Emperor promises to grant the Prince of Saxony a full Imperial pardon for his revolt and succession from the Empire and to re-admit Saxony into the Holy Roman Empire with all the Prince of Saxon's rights and duties, including the Electorship, under the constitution of the Empire restored. ii. The Elector of Saxony promises to pay a £2,000,000 fine to the Emperor for this recent disturbance of the Imperial Peace. iii. Payment of the above fine is guaranteed by the Tsar of All the Russias & the King of Spain (50% each). iv. The Elector of Saxony promises that he will honour Saxon obligations under the Treaty of Westphalia and will respect the sovereignty of the other princes and knights and free cities of the Holy Roman Empire. v. Spain, Russia, Bavaria and Austria all promise not to attack Saxony or each other by any means. At the moment the only signatory to the Treaty is 'Charles Hapsburg on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain.' Others asked to agree to these terms are the Houses of Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, and Russia. Cadiz *Luis Ortega at a late date released details of where his house in Cadiz's Merchant Quarter happens to be, namely No. 3 Rosario Street, and his party went ahead there as planned on 20th April. At this event he introduced his guest Rodrigo Martello to officers of the Asiento, which slaver organisation has its headquarters and an exchange in the city. Cairo *The Bey of Egypt has agreed to permit foreign missions to be established at the two fortress sites at the Mediterranean and Red Sea ends of the proposed Suez Canal with the express purpose of enabling ladle dredgers to be constructed. There is one condition - once the canal is complete he would expect such missions to be closed since their purpose would have lapsed. He also commented that Egypt has provided all promised resources for the construction of the canal, and waits for the Grand Vizier to do likewise so work can commence. Moscow *Without being announced Alexander, Grand Duke of Ingria, has arrived in Moscow in order to be officially recognised in his new office of grand duke. His coach was taken to the Kremlin without much fanfare and with the shutters down, no doubt in order to avoid the deadly fate which awaited the previous incumbent of this title, Olof of Ingria, upon his arrival in Moscow last year. Chatham *The siege of Chatham began in earnest, and by 14th April Marlborough's 1st Army had made sufficient progress to be able to assault the outer works of the covered way. This honour fell on Colonel Tobias Spencer's three battalions of the 4th Regiment of Foot, who drove in the Swiss sentries smartly. A French ship of the line, Hardi, sailed alone further up the Medway having detached itself from the fleets off Chatham, and from this vantage point has been cannonading the English siege lines which its cannon are shooting at from an enfilade position. Despite this the 12pdrs of the English trayne were emplaced quickly and managed to create a breach in very quick time in the midwork defences, which were assaulted on the 22nd. However, this time the Swiss held on, repulsing the attacks of the 2nd Foot. Near the end of the month, attempting to regain their honour while progress was admittedly hampered by Hardi's flying cannon balls, the 2nd Foot went in again. This time they took possession, pushing the defenders back to the main curtain wall. *The French Navy sent into Chatham Harbour a ship of the line desiring that its guns be landed. Alas as it entered the anchorage it was confronted in the harbour by the large and powerfully-gunned RN lineship HMS London which raked Courageux's bow as she tried to enter via the harbour mouth. This left the French vessel in a dreadful state, albeit still afloat. The situation was soon deemed hopeless by her captain, and she struck her colours. *The French fleets off Chatham have established a naval blockade of the Thames, closing this important mercantile traffic route entirely. Zurich *Don Pedo D’Souza has offered Karl Anton Am Rhyn the sum of 200,000 guineas a year for a minimum contract of five years to hire the 10 battalions of foot and eight squadrons of dragoons available? Peking *Prince Taizong has agreed to see his daughter Princess Wencheng married to Lord Yea of Shantung province, and has set the date for the match as being October 1704, with the marriage to take place in Peking. Upon their marriage being consumated he shall provide a substantial dowry. He warned that if Lord Yea were now to pull out of this arrangement because of any issue with the princess's age, then it would besmirch Yea's own honour since he should have checked this before putting forward any proposal. London *A scuttled merchant ship sunk east of London in the Thames, which had been hindering river traffic, has been raised and removed by sailors of cruisers of the English Royal Navy. *Martial law has been introduced in the city of London. Dresden *Emperor Leopold has taken to his bed in his tent to get some his rest since he is quite unwell. As he was led to his bed by the chamberlain of the Imperial Household he was heard to mutter, 'perfidious French, may they rot in hell.' *The 18 squadrons of dragoons of the Reichsarmee of the Southern Circle have been sent out to blockade Dresden while much of the Imperial army has spent the month in camp. While on this duty they detained the Spanish Grand Chamberlain, Count Monterrey who had travelled from Rome and was desiring to enter Dresden when he was stopped and brought to General Graf von Batthyany who has him as his guest (or prisoner, if you prefer). *The Grand Armee of Prussia, which has been loitering north of the siege of Dresden but avoiding any direct confrontation, and has steadily suffered a deterioration over the past few months and has, perhaps on account of this, broken camp and left, marching away in a northerly direction. Yorktown *Pamphlets are being circulated in Yorktown and inland across Virginia calling on men to make a stand as loyal patriots: 'Concerned merchants, land owners and other loyal men are invited to provide funds to support the movement,' it called for, naming the recipient as a certain Mister John Henry, presently staying in Yorktown. Dover & London *A party of Moldavian shipwrights were a little confused when they were dropped off at Dover by a merchant, rather than there intended destination of Chatham. Master Cheetan jovially told them that he wouldn't be sailing to Chatham since it is 'a hotbed of war with fleets outside and armies within and without!' The Moldavians arranged to be taken by coach to London to meet up with their contact in the country, Alexandrei Cantemir. On meeting that gentlemen they did indeed learn that they were being sent into a veritable hornets' nest, and wondered at their prince's audacity in wishing them to go into such a place! Genoa *Sitting in the Palazzo Ducale the Doge of Genoa Federico De Franchi has said that in his opinion trade from the neighbouring Duchy of Milan to other states should pass through the port of Genoa and be carried aboard Genoese shipping. *The Royal Bank of the Americas has opened a branch office in the city of Genoa. Deposits are welcome at this bank and pay annual interest at a rate of 4%. Chotin *At Chotin the Hopsdar Prince of Moldavia wished to inspect the local militia at Khotyn Fortress but was informed this was impossible since the militamen are all employed as tradesmen and under the cantonment system take longer than normal militia to call to arms, even for a brief inspection. Thus disappointed Prince Mihail instead visited the Imperial Academy of Earth Sciences, where he chatted encouragingly to the staff and students. Satisfied with his visit, at least in part, the prince left in order to return to his court at Jassy. Versailles *Freiherr von Reldburg has stated that the government of Austria has the following questions for the French court: i. Did not Austria give France its grain reserves to stop famine in France? ii. Did not Emperor Leopold give Louis the most magnificent gifts which was not reciprocated? iii. Did not Austria take its declaration of war through the Imperial Diet and give a six-month warning to Saxony? iv. France gave England no warning and no declaration of war, did it not? "Are last month's comments by France on matters ikn the Empire the actions of a friend? No they are not!" he said. "Austria therefore believes that France acts without honour and deserves none in return. Marriage negotiations between Austria and France are ended!" News of this soon circulated throughout the French royal court and the town of Versailles, with a sense that France has lots its honour in attacking England by surprise with no declaration of war. However, this malaise was challenged somewhat when it was announced that His Most Christian Majesty King Louis XIV was to address the assembled courtiers! And so he did, praising the fine actions of the French Navy and thus lifting the mood at cour. "The Royal Navy, for long considered the pride of England, could not defend its home waters," he delighted in telling them. "France offered battle, and English lineships fled. This contrasts with the action off Lundy where the 2nd French Logistics Fleet was ambushed by the English. Five brave French frigates crewed by 1,000 Frenchmen fought against 14,600 English in heavily armed lineships, thereby saving the lives of 13,000 comrades. Whilst I regret any loss of French lives, these men are heroes of France and are awarded the Croix de Guerre. War pensions will be paid to the widows." This restored the morale at court somewhat just as it had started to dip! Royal courtiers followed the King's lead and competed to give the most glowing oration of French naval success and prowess! King Louis then turned to Prince Frederick of Saxony, only to find he is not where His Majesty expected to see him standing. Thus foxed, servants made enquiries and discovered that the Saxon nobleman is visiting Reims. The Hague *Johann Ostrander, Foreign Minister has voiced Dutch fears that 'we may soon see a Catholic England ruled by the House of Stuart alongside Catholic France.' He has tentatively proposed a treaty for mutual defence be agreed with the Spanish Empire to secure the United Provinces since France appears to be picking off her old enemies one-by-one. "England is the target now, and in all probability Austria will be next, and then us," he thinks. El Escorial *King Carlos III of Spain and Her Most Catholic Majesty Queen Sophia have departed El Escorial for Madrid where they joined a large cavalry column which then struck out for Saragossa. Here the King is going to formally open this year's first 1704 session of the Cortez of Aragon. Their progress along the route has been marked by almsgiving to churches while flowers have been scattered in the path of the royal couple by choirs of children. Amsterdam *Orangist pamphlets have been widely distributed in the city of Amsterdam describing in lurid detail the brutal treatment of French Huguenots and English Protestants by Louis XIV and the Jacobites, and warning Dutch souls that if Louis takes control of the English fleet that the United Provinces will be next to suffer. Singapore *Prince Vasily Golitsyn, Governor of the Far East has made the acquaintance of Mister David Jackson in what amounts to a building site at what will when finished be the town of Nevyansk on the island of Singapore. This encounter has caused the governor and his wife to be delayed in leaving for Shangahi (the prince did not wish to appear rude and just leave Jackson having only just been introduced). Mister Jackson had arrived from the village of Changi which is also situated on the island. Macao *Following unheard-of problems with at least one ship built for the Chinese by the very well paid Portuguese shipyard wrights in Shantung service at Macao, the governor of Macao had them all arrested by armed soldiers and bustled them into a gaol before it was even fully built. Several men narrowly escaped death when some building materials collapsed but fortunately nobody was hurt. Mandarin Jin-qua, Governor of Macao has otherwise treated them respectfully but after talking with them concluded that they have outlived their usefulness to the Celestial Empire. He finds them to be dejected and angry, and on these grounds alone has become convinced that they have been deliberately building unstable and dangerous ships for the Chinese Navy and so should be executed. Bristol *While supping coffee in a shop in Bristol the manager of Purdy & Company, Mister George Purdy, got to talking to a Mister Edward Coldstream about this excitement working on something he calls a reservoir weapon. Edward, who has dabbled in designing weapons himself, was interested and shortly the two were working on this together... *The Duke of Berwick has been anxious that expected reinforcements have not reached Bristol, but to try and improve his own flagging morale if no-one elses he ordered a ball held for the local dignitaries, which was attended by a variety of gentlemen including messrs. Frederick Taylor, Jack Less, Edward Coldstream, Samuel Parr, and George Purdy. It was held in a well appointed townhouse by the waterfront hired for the purpose off lady of the city. People being Much Admired by the Best in Société *The Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. *Lord Yea of the Shantung Province of the Heavenly Celestial Manchu Empire. *Cardinal Portocarrero of the Council of State, Bishop of Toledo, King OF Spain’s Treasurer. *Maharaj-Prince Shrimant Rajaram Of The Maharatas. *King Louis XIV Of France, The Sun King. *Roger Martel Of The Honourable West India Company, Spain’S Viceroy Of Africa. *King Thalun Toungoo of Burma. Shipping Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Movements *A Persian corvette on patrol in the Arabian Sea caught up with a Hindu pirate galley which was trying to catch a fleeing merchant ship. This ended in a boarding action after an inconclusive exchange of fire, but unfortunately this all went horribly wrong and it was the corvette which was taken by the impudent pirates! *Well satisfied, they put a crew aboard their prize and set off while from a distance the startled Persian merchant sailors looked on in horror, grateful that they weren??t the ones taken... Lloyds Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Losses from Causes Unknowne or Knowne *None. Ambassadorial Appointments *None. Trade Missions Opened *By the Honourable West India Company in Malmo, Calcutta, Rome, and Alexandria. Automatically parsed by LGDRParser v1.0 Category:Game 7